*Splitting the world in two (with an arbitrary line)*

Visited Greenwich today and got to split myself into two different hemispheres at once. A map geek and Geography major’s dream (well, dream might be pushing it, but interesting in any case). Another student asked a question wondering why the Prime Meridian goes through Greenwich, to which we were told the answer was that the British Empire at the time were the world leaders of the Nautical and Astronomical Sciences. Other countries tried to have the line that starts all other arbitrary lines, but the British did it better and were more influential and eventually all competitors fell in line and acknowledged the Prime Meridian as 0 degrees E and W.

This got me thinking about how other things in the world are in dispute and how they will eventually be settled and made to be universal. Britain got things started with how to tell distance from place to place and from there they had to set time to a standard (that wasn’t just based upon the sun rising and setting); but Britain (and in turn, the U.S.) still use standard definitions to define distance rather than metric definitions even though metric is easier and more universal.

It can only be a matter of time until the hold-out nations in a dispute who are arguing for the inferior method can maintain. When I learned about the metric system in grade (primary) school, I was told that America would change to it during my lifetime and that that was why it was important for me to know it.

Another standard that has been in dispute during my lifetime is the monetary systems in Europe. With most of the countries in Europe using the same money being unthinkable only a couple of generations ago, I wonder what the impact of the Euro being the standard in Europe will be in the future (also, I wonder how long the British Pound will hold out until one can start using the Euro here).

This curiosity doesn’t just exist in terms of nationalism either. The parallel that I draw is Microsoft. Everyone knows that (in most cases) Windows is superior to any other Operating System, and for all intents and purposes was the only game in town up until a couple of years ago, when Apple started to give them a run for their money. Being that computers will be around forever and will only become more intertwined with our lives throughout the years, will there someday have to be a kind of de facto agreement about systems and syntax to use on a macro scale? It’s already happening on a micro scale.

If you’ve read up until know as a friend or family member, I’m sure you are tired of the school journaling, so here is the reason you’re around…During the last two days I’ve been to The National Theater of London which was impressive with it’s three stages (including one stage that gets completely made up and taken down depending on the performance…even the stage wings and seats; so they can have any kind of set up they need or want). That night, we went to The 39 Steps a theatre adaptation of an old Hitchcock movie (one that predates Psycho, Vertigo, and all his American movies). It was a parody/farce and was amazingly funny. Definitely the best show I’ve seen here in London.

The day after ( the day I’m writing this) we have taken the trip up to Greenwich (which I’ve talked about above) and visited the:


The Royal Observatory (where the Prime Meridian goes though).

…and (my favorite)…


The National Maritime Museum.

Which I was most impressed with all kinds of British Sea-faring information. Unfortunately we weren’t supposed to take pictures, but I did snag these (pardon the darkness).

Me and Lord Nelson’s coat. (Lord Nelson died in…but won…the Battle of Trafalgar which is symbolized by one of the three strips on American Sailor's Uniforms…My own included).


The National Maritime Museum.


Me and Sir Walter Raleigh.


Greenwich, adjacent to the pier.


A Portion of the group on the boat ride back (it was a long day).

...

the internet is quick tonight, so I gotta take the opportunity when I can; here are some more pictures:


Proof of Piccadilly Circle


Proof or the Prime Meridian.


Proof that I love my wife(ish) and miss her very much no matter how worthwhile what I'm doing is...